1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to building entrance terminals.
2. Description of Related Art
In known building entrance terminals, there is a housing which carries a terminal block in an incoming field, a mounting block for overvoltage protection units in a protection field and another terminal block in an outgoing field. Conductor wiring extends from the terminal block of the incoming field to terminals of the mounting block and then from other terminals of the mounting block to terminals of the terminal block in the outgoing field. This wiring is factory installed and lies in a region called "the back plane" of the housing which is inaccessible to the customer. Detachable overvoltage protection units mounted upon the mounting block connect the incoming and outgoing fields and serve as a protection to the outgoing field and to a customers's circuit from overvoltage surges on an incoming cable. The incoming cable extends into the housing and has conductor wires connected to the terminal block in the incoming field.
The need to locate the incoming cable close to the terminal block of the incoming field so as to enable the incoming cable to be connected into the incoming terminals, causes difficulties in known constructions during the connection process. To proceed with connecting the conductor wires of the incoming cable in one arrangement, the terminal block must be separate from the housing with the incoming cable wires and some back plane wiring bridging the gap between the block and the housing and increasing the difficulty in the operation. After completion of the wiring connections, the block is then mounted onto the housing. The accompanying movement and flexing of all the wires into convenient positions adds to assembly problems and may place a strain both upon the wires and upon their terminations. Alternatively, in another arrangement, difficulty results because the incoming cable is away from its final stowed position within the housing so as to allow access to the terminal block on the incoming side for connection purposes. Subsequent movement of the incoming cable into the stowed position again requires flexing of the wires, thus placing the wires and their terminations in tension.
The present invention provides a building entrance terminal which seeks to overcome the above problems.
According to the invention, a building entrance terminal housing contains a first terminal block in an incoming field, a second terminal block in an outgoing field, and a mounting block for overvoltage protection units in a protection field. The terminal blocks are secured to the housing by mounting means. The fields lie side-by-side in a front view upon the terminal. The terminal blocks and the mounting block are wired together in a back plane within the housing behind the mounting means and mounting block. The housing defines a stowage space for incoming cable, the stowage space and first terminal block also lying side-by-side in a front view upon the terminal.
Thus in the terminal according to the invention, the stowage space, first terminal block, mounting block and second terminal block lie side-by-side in a front view of the terminal. Because of the relationship of the stowage space with the first terminal block, it is possible for the incoming cable to be laid into the stowage space and secured in position before the conductor wires of the cable are connected into the first terminal block. In addition, the first terminal block is also in its final position upon the housing before connection of the incoming conductor wires takes place. Thus no movement of the cable or the first terminal block is necessary after the incoming cable has been connected to the block. It follows that with both the cable and terminal block securely held in position before the connection process, the difficulties with the connection process are minimized and no undue tensions are placed upon the conductor wiring such as would be caused by movement of either terminal block or cable after the connection process.
Preferably, the first terminal block is recessed within the housing and has walls of the housing extending from its mounting means. The walls define the recess and separate the first terminal block from the other fields. A movable cover is locatable over the recess so as to completely shroud the first terminal in use. Further, in the preferred arrangement, the recess opens along one side into the stowage space and the cover extends over both the stowage and the recess.